The inaugural edition of UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20) will be played between the window of January 6 to February 12, 2023, the Emirates Cricket Board announced on Monday.
The six-team franchise-style League will witness 34 matches being played across venues in UAE.
Reliance Industries Limited, Lancer Capital, the GMR Group, Adani Sportsline, Kolkata Knight Riders and Capri Global have acquired a team each in UAE’s T20 League.
Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said, “Emirates Cricket Board is delighted to welcome Reliance Industries, Kolkata Knight Riders, Capri Global, GMR, Lancer Capital, Adani Sportsline, broadcaster ZEE and all other stakeholders to the newly established T20 League of UAE. Such illustrious, experienced names and entities as partners bode well for the UAE T20 League. Through the commitment of these partners, they have demonstrated confidence in the Emirates Cricket Board as we take the game into the future”.
“As we begin this long journey I am confident that together we will achieve new heights and in the process provide entertainment and excitement to the millions of fans around the globe who are waiting for the first ball of the UAE T20 League to be bowled.”
The tournament will also provide a valuable platform for Emirates Cricket to take developing their local talent to a higher level, where UAE-based players currently integrated into the Board’s program, as well as those identified by the High-Performance Coaching and Selection Committee teams, will be given the opportunity to train and play alongside some of the world’s best minds of today’s game.
ILT20 combines two of the most compelling aspects of the global sport - world-class infrastructure coupled with the most favourable time zone catering to cricket fans around the world.
ILT20 chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said, “Emirates Cricket, and the UAE, has a proven history of identifying and embracing initiatives that underpin the success of the game. It is vitally important that through this tournament UAE-based players continue to flourish which is one of the objectives of this league.”
“The ILT20 wishes to thank His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Chairman of ECB for his unstinting support to UAE cricket which, under his guidance, has been growing from strength to strength. We look forward to introducing to the world a T20 event that will provide unmatched competition and entertainment to the ardent followers of this game.”
Meanwhile, ZEE has been announced as the global media rights partner of the ILT20.
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Featured photo: PUNIT PARANJPE / AFP
